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Why get involved in a moonshot?

The attraction and impact on the careers of researchers differ by sector

Scientists who build a career in research are often motivated by the challenge of addressing the world’s toughest, most impenetrable questions. Can we find the cure for cancer? How do we feed every person in the world? Are there alternate universes? Moonshots—ambitious, large-scale research
projects that attempt to make a leap forward rather than sustain incremental progress—give researchers the chance to answer these questions. Whether the projects are intended to result in the commercialization of a new product or to advance the field as a whole, moonshots tackle grand challenges and can have far reaching societal impact. As an ancillary benefit, moonshots can have a profound effect on the careers of research team members.

Not every research project is a success— and not every moonshot even gets off the ground. While it is in society’s best interest to ensure that our finest and brightest minds are focused on the right questions, more-lucrative career opportunities may lead top talent to choose paths besides research—particularly
when science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skill sets are in such high demand in other fields. Dr. Caralynn Nowinski Collens, CEO of UI LABS, understands the lure of such opportunities: “The demand for STEM talent is definitely increasing in non-research positions. There’s an obligation to ensure we’re training the right individuals and directing people toward STEM pathways. The presence of researchers in private industry underscores the importance of government and academia to partner with these companies.”

Moonshots almost always boost the careers of researchers

According to a new survey conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit, on behalf of Northrop Grumman, 76% of researchers in government, academia and the private sector report that working on a moonshot (defined as a large-scale project meant to address a social issue) had a positive impact on their
career, with 44% saying it had a significant impact. Just 2% of respondents say their involvement hindered their career, while 22% say that it had no noticeable effect.

Interestingly, not all moonshots need to be a complete success to bolster the careers of those involved. Just 44% of survey respondents say their moonshot was a complete success and met all its objectives; another 32% deem it to have been a success despite missing some objectives. Just 24% of researchers consider their moonshot to have been a failure—a boon unto itself given that moonshots are generally more expensive and often longer lasting than typical research projects.

The individual rewards of largescale research projects vary by sector

The value of a moonshot to career advancement can vary markedly by sector. Those who most often say their moonshot was a significant career milestone were in academia and the private sector (both 67%), with government researchers less often saying the same (26%). Similarly, researchers who
most often say their largest project— regardless of societal aim—was a significant career milestone were in academia (55%), the private sector (52%) and, less often, in government (39%).

Among private-sector respondents, the relationship between research and career prospects is clear; private-sector survey respondents most often say that the primary objective of their typical research projects, regardless of size or aim, is “to seize a clear commercial opportunity, with a go-to-market strategy within a five-year time frame,” “to address a specific problem that practitioners or commercial users were struggling with” or “to deliver a proof of concept for a future commercial opportunity.” Such clearly articulated, impact-oriented research projects often result in commensurate rewards—in a big company or as the foundation for a new one.

In academia, the reward is recognition by peers as a leader in the field. Indeed, survey respondents in academia most often say the primary objectives of their typical research projects are “to advance our field through basic research” or “to address a broader societal problem.” Academic STEM research, however, has evolved in recent years toward commercialization. Dr. Peter Adriaens, a researcher, entrepreneur and professor at the University of Michigan, notes that entrepreneurship is increasingly taught alongside a research-based curriculum. “Entrepreneurship used to be considered a ‘light’ discipline or topic, but now it’s become fully integrated in undergraduate and graduate curriculums on campuses nationwide,” he says. The result: Research has become more closely tied in with end-use applications—which has helped to revolutionize the landscape of companies that recruit STEM talent, the stature of start-ups as employers of STEM graduates and the career rewards, beyond reputation, of academic moonshots. “And that really only started in the early to mid-2000s,” Dr. Adriaens says.

Civil servants channel their worktoward the public good

So why do government researchers less often say that their largest research project had a significant impact on their career? One might surmise it’s partly because people generally opt for government jobs because they havemade the deliberate decision to devote theircareer (or at least part of it) to public service— the primary objective of which is not usually career advancement. Indeed, government respondents more often than those in other sectors say that their research aims “to address a specific problem that researchers were struggling with.” However, the responses they chose most frequently aligned with those of academics: “to advance our field through basic research” and “to address a broader societal problem.”

As civil servants, government researchers recognize that their work ultimately belongs to the government; it certainly can’t be commercialized in the same way as that ofprivate and academic researchers. However, government researchers also understand that working on large-scale projects can still have reputational effects and position them as a thought leader in their fields—in addition to the potentially huge impact on society as a whole. It is, therefore, unsurprising that more than half of moonshot projects identified in the survey were found in the public sector.

STEM knowledge has become a foundational element of private-sector companies and tech start-ups, increasing the competition for the next generation of researchers. With new opportunities to change the world and bring innovations to market—let alone the potential for a bigger paycheck and access to resources to support continued research—STEM graduates will undoubtedly be tempted to look outside government and academia. The challenge for these sectors, then, is to articulate why they can offer the best platform for pursuing moonshots.

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